The North Central Louisiana Arts Council will launch their public art initiative, The Outside Show, beginning May 1st. The exhibition of artworks installed outside for the public was created to echo the statement made by the Americans for the Arts, Why Public Art Matters green paper which states “public art activates the imagination and encourages people to pay attention to the environment they occupy”. The exhibition invited creators of all kinds to propos an idea for one of the outdoor sites that enhances our city’s attachment to where we live.
Locations around Downtown Ruston and beyond will be activated by artwork on banner signs, window displays, pop up gardens, fence posts, planter boxes, trees, building awnings, mural walls, and more. The Outside show has 21 unique sites with 15 individual participating artists and 9 community groups or artist collective. Thanks to the gracious support from Century Next Bank, Driggers Outdoors, Rapid Signs, and Louisiana Tech University, local and regional artists have been able to design, create, and install their artwork in the public.
New Orleans based artist Luba Zygarewicz installs her sculpture “Alverare Luminoso” with daughter Marguerite Hogue and student Hannah Fulton for NCLAC’s Outside Show.
The Outside Show artists exhibiting for the month of May are: Mariah Smith, Rae Tedeton, Dorene Kordal, Ruston Community Mens Shed, The Art House, Rfige, Cedar Creek Art, Dylan Sanders, Stirling Botts, Rachel Botts, Liz Zanca, Ashley Greer, Khalilah Al-Amin, Camellia Jiles, Boys and Girls Club, Ruston High School Talented Arts Juniors & Seniors, Chlese Jiles, Skatepark of Ruston, LA Tech School of Design, Mark Holstrom, Peter Jones, Luba Zygarewicz.
A map of all the sites and their locations will be released at the Downtown Ruston “Art in the Park” event in Railroad Park Saturday, May 1st from 11am to 1pm. Live music provided by the Ruston Cultural District will be performed by Kamryn Murphy, a student of the Louisiana Tech Choral Department from 11:30 to 12:30pm on the Railroad Park stage. Sidewalk chalk provided by Experience Ruston will be available for event goers to “chalk the walk”, inviting everyone to participate in creating public artwork in Ruston.
Joining Saturday’s event are ancillary art happenings throughout Downtown Ruston. The Skatepark of Ruston will be set up with ramps and obstacles for another Skate Jam in the Historic Fire Station parking lot from 12am to 3pm on Saturday, May 1st. They will be debuting a new skateable sculpture created by Joey Slaughter and Thomas Faulkner.
The Ruston High School Talented Arts Senior Art Show will take place in Esma’s Alley on May 1st from 10am to 2pm featuring artists: Jaqueline Chandler, Maisie Daughtry, Alex Davis, Miley Lee, And Moss, Alexis Odengaugh, Jakevion Poe, Ellie Puljak, Sophie Puljak, Ashlynne Schales, Ari Valle, Aimee Turner, Elizabeth Woodard, and Matthew Wright under the direction of Erin Hanna.
Printed maps as well as a launch of the online map will be available Saturday May 1st from 11am to 1pm in Railroad Park, Downtown Ruston. Learn more about The Outside Show and other NCLAC exhibitions at nclacgallery.org.
Photo: New Orleans based artist Luba Zygarewicz installs her sculpture “Alverare Luminoso” with daughter Marguerite Hogue and student Hannah Fulton for NCLAC’s Outside Show.